Method, system, and apparatus for directing fluid flow

ABSTRACT

Exemplary embodiments include method, systems and apparatuses for directing fluid flow. One such exemplary embodiment includes an apparatus that can have a ramp; a first support forming a left wall of the ramp; a second support forming a second wall of the ramp; and a bracket coupled to the ramp at a lower edge, to the first support along a lower, vertical wall and to the second support along a lower, vertical wall.

BACKGROUND

The task of pouring liquid material, such as concrete, is currently a timely, expensive, and difficult task. It is particularly difficult to pour a large amount of a liquid substance into a confined area, such as forms used to mold concrete for construction purposes. Many liquid substances, such as concrete, must be poured quickly in order to avoid hardening, deterioration, or corrosion. Thus, little time is available to maneuver the material into a more workable form or more beneficial location.

In order to make this process easier, many contractors use portable funnels in order to guide the liquid substance into a smaller area. However, these funnels only allow users to vertically funnel the liquid substance into the confined area. Thus, there must be open space directly above the area that the user intends to pour liquid material into. This constraint usually necessitates the use of heavy machinery in order to lift the funnel, as well as the material contained within, to an open space directly above the pouring area. This whole process is burdensome, lengthy, and expensive for the user, and only allows the user to pour in a limited amount of locations.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments include method, systems and apparatuses for directing fluid flow. One such exemplary embodiment includes an apparatus that can have a ramp; a first support forming a left wall of the ramp; a second support forming a second wall of the ramp; and a bracket coupled to the ramp at a lower edge, to the first support along a lower, vertical wall and to the second support along a lower, vertical wall.

Another exemplary embodiment may include a method for directing the flow of fluid. The method can have steps for introducing fluid material an upper edge of a ramp; guiding the fluid material down the ramp from first section having a first width to a second section having a second width; preventing fluid loss as the fluid material flows down the ramp; and pouring the fluid material into a defined space from an area vertically remote from the defined space.

Another exemplary embodiment can describe a system for transferring fluid material from its source to a desired location. Such a system could include a source of fluid material; an assembly for directing the fluid material; and a receiving area that receives the fluid material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Advantages of embodiments of the utility lift will be apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective of a ramp assembly.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of a ramp assembly.

FIG. 3 is an orthographic projection of a ramp assembly shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the concrete restoration pocket are disclosed in the following description and related drawings are directed to specific embodiments of the concrete restoration pocket. Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the concrete restoration pocket. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the concrete restoration pocket will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the concrete restoration pocket. Further, to facilitate an understanding of the description a discussion of several terms used herein follows.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the terms “embodiments of the concrete restoration pocket”, “embodiment” or “concrete restoration pocket” do not require that all embodiments of the concrete restoration pocket include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.

Generally referring to FIGS. 1-7, a concrete pouring device may be shown. Ramp assembly 100 can facilitate the pouring of any fluid substance, such as concrete, from a source, such as a mixing truck, into a defined or confined space, such as into the area defined by a form, while holder assembly 200 and base assembly 300 can provide extra stability and support during pouring. A form, such as a plywood form, may be attached to a building or other structure and concrete may be poured down a chute in the form. The concrete can then flow down the form and into the pocket on an exterior portion of the building. One exemplary use of the ramp can allow for a user to introduce a fluid substance into a defined area from a horizontally adjacent location in an efficient manner. Another exemplary use of the ramp may prevent losing or spilling a fluid substance or material during a transfer of the fluid or substance from the source to its desired location. The ramp may be removably affixed to both the source of the fluid substance and the desired location, either simultaneously or individually.

Referring to exemplary FIG. 1, ramp assembly 100 may include a ramp 102, a first triangular support 104, and a second triangular support 106. The first and second triangular supports 104 and 106 may extend from right and left edges of ramp 102, respectively, to a rear surface of bracket 108, which may be U-shaped, as shown in the perspective view of exemplary FIG. 1. Ramp assembly 100 may be constructed, wholly or in part, of metal, plastic, wood, or fiberglass, or any combination thereof, as desired. Additionally, triangular supports 104 and 106 can extend from both ramp 102 and bracket 108 at an about right angle, however, said supports may extend from ramp 102 at any angle between about 15 and about 120 degrees, provided they continue to guide the liquid substance down ramp 102. In some further exemplary embodiments, ramp 102 may be adjusted or adjustable so as to allow for different angles of operation. Such adjustments may be made through the use of adjustable fittings, any desired number of mounts connecting ramp 102 to bracket 108 or any other manner known in the art.

Still referring to exemplary FIG. 1, ramp assembly 100 can be formed with ramp 103, first support 104, and second support 106 each having flat surfaces. Ramp 102 may also have its top surface sloped downwards at about 52 degrees, which can allow for any liquid or flow-able material to be flowed or guided from a top edge of ramp 102 to a bottom edge of ramp 102. Ramp assembly 100, in some further exemplary embodiments, may have any number of shaped or curved elements, for example a shaped ramp 102, a shaped first support 104, and/or a shaped second support 106. Such curvature or shaping may be such that ramp assembly 100 may be convex in shape or appearance. In such examples ramp 102 may have a slope greater than about 50 degrees. In such an example, ramp assembly 100 may also have at least one additional surface, as ramp 102, first support 104, and/or second support 106, may be formed with an angle, giving an appearance of an extra surface. However shaped and sized, said surfaces can an interior surface without any holes or gaps, in order to guide the liquid material to the bottom edge without spilling any material.

In exemplary embodiment and still referring to FIG. 1, ramp assembly 100 may be formed by adjoining triangular supports, such as first support 104 and second support 106 to ramp 102, while also adjoining ramp 102, first support 104, and second support 106 to bracket 108. Bottom edges of supports 104 and 106 can be adjoined to a right and left edge of ramp 102, respectively. Further, right edges of supports 104 and 106 can be affixed to bracket 108 and a bottom edge of ramp 102 can affixed to bracket 108. Both supports may be affixed, attached, coupled or otherwise joined to ramp 102 with an adhesive, one or more fasteners, one or more hooks, or any desired manner which fixes the edges in place, whether above or within the surface of ramp 102. In the exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, supports 104 and 106 may be affixed to ramp 102 at a right angle with a fastener.

Further, in exemplary FIG. 1, a bottom edge of ramp 101 and right edges of first support 104 and second support 106 may be adjoined with bracket 108 in manners similar to those described above. For example, ramp 102, first support 104 and second support 106 may be affixed, attached, riveted, or otherwise mounted to bracket 108 with an adhesive, one or more fasteners, one or more hooks, or any other desired manner which fixes the edges in place, whether above or within the surface of bracket 108. Additionally, bracket 108, ramp 102, first support 104 and second support 106 may be formed as one piece, as shown in the exemplary embodiment shown in perspective view of FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, first support 104 and second support 106 may be formed with bracket 108 at a right angle, while ramp 102 may be affixed to form an obtuse angle, for example, about 142 degrees, with respect to a lower flange of bracket 108.

Referring back to exemplary FIG. 1, the ramp assembly 100 may include a flat, single surface as ramp 102, which may measure about 4.25 inches in width at its top edge, about 2 inches in width at its bottom edge, and about 6.5 inches in length, and may form a trapezoidal shape. For example, ramp 102 may have right and left edges extending from a bottom edge at an interior angle of about 101 degrees; and first support 104 and second support 106, which can be triangular in shape and may measure about 4 inches at top edges, about 5 inches at right edges, and about 6.5 inches at bottom edges. In this exemplary embodiment, supports 104 and 106 may each be right triangles, with the about right angle located between edges measuring about 4 inches and about 5 inches, the interior angle between the edge measuring about 4 inches, the edge measuring about 6.5 inches measuring and forming an angle of about 38 degrees, the interior angle between the edge measuring about 5 inches and the edge measuring about 6.5 inches and forming an angle of about 52 degrees. However, it is envisioned that any desired size of the component of ramp assembly 100 may be utilizes, depending on the nature of the project. For example, ramp 102, first support 104 and second support 106 may be formed in any size and may have angles that are greater or less than those cited in the exemplary embodiment above.

In exemplary FIG. 1, ramp 102 may also have a wider upper width that is greater than its lower width. The lower width of ramp 102, where ramp 102 meets bracket 108, may be about 3 inches wide, but may range from about 1 inch to about 12 inches wide. The upper edge of ramp 102, may be about 4.25 inches wide, but may range from about 1 to about 12 inches wide. Ramp 102 may have a length of about 6 inches from its upper edge to its lower edge, but this length may range from about 1 to about 24 inches. Ramp 102 may also be extendable, for example from a lower edge or an upper edge, which can then provide an additional pathway beyond bracket 108 or beyond first support 104 and second support 106.

Exemplary FIG. 3 can provide a further embodiment of ramp assembly 100. Here bracket 108 may have an about 1/16 inch thick protrusion, which can include a square 107 that is about 6 inches by about 6 inches and may have an opening 109, which may be trapezoidal. Opening 109 may measure about 4.25 inches at a top edge and about 3 inches at a bottom edge. Opening 109 may further have a height of about 5 inches, with, in some exemplary embodiments, side edges extending from a bottom edge at interior angles 105 of about 70 to about 120 degrees, for example about 101 degrees. A top edge of opening 109 can be aligned with a top edge of square 107, with a vertical axis of opening 109 aligned with a vertical axis of square 107. Thus, in this exemplary embodiment, bracket 108 may be a protrusion of varying width along a left and a right uprights and a may have an about 1 inch height along a lower, rectangular portion. Bracket 108 may be constructed from wood, metal, plastic, fiberglass, any combination thereof or any other desired material, and may be formed with any technique to form such materials, such as band saws, laser cutters, or molding, as desired or as known in the art.

Still referring to exemplary FIG. 3, bracket 108 may vary in size, with a depth varying from about 1/32 of an inch to about 1 inch, for example, 1/16 of an inch. Additionally, square 107 may range from about 1 inch to about 12 inches, for example about 6 inches. Further, opening 109 may be shaped in any way such that bracket 108 can form a joint with edges of first support 104 and second support 106 where first support 104 and second support 106 meet, and may be coupled with, bracket 108. In still further exemplary embodiments, opening 109 may be circular, rectangular, or any other shape, as desired. In the exemplary embodiment, opening 109 is shaped as a trapezoid, with top and bottom edges that may range in length from about 1 inch to about 12 inches, for example 4.25 and 3 inches, respectively. Similarly, right and left edges of square 107 may range from about 1 inch to about 24 inches, for example about 5 inches. Additionally, interior angles 105 may vary from about 70 degrees to about 120 degrees. Further, opening 109 may be disposed as shown in exemplary FIG. 3 or may be flipped upside down, insofar as a top edge of opening 109 may be larger than a bottom edge.

Still referring to exemplary FIG. 3, ramp assembly 100 may include any number of holes 110 spread over the surface area of its front face. Here, holes 110 may be located on bracket 108, about two inches away from each other. Additionally, a first hole on left upright 111 and a first hole on right upright 112 may be centered, individually, within the width of top edges of uprights 111 and 112. Further, uprights 111 and 112 may measure about ⅞ inches in width, and the first holes may be about 1 inch below top edges of uprights 111 and 112. In some exemplary embodiments, about three holes may be vertically aligned with a first hole, wherein the holes may be spaced about 2 inches apart on this vertical axis. Two additional holes may be formed in lower flange 114 of bracket 108. These holes can be aligned in the same horizontal axis, for example about a ½ inch above a bottom edge of bracket 108, about 2 inches away other holes and about 2 inches from a nearest vertical edge of bracket 108.

Still referring to exemplary FIG. 3, holes 110, may have a radius of about 1/16 of an inch. Holes 110 may be drilled, laser cut, molded or otherwise included or formed in bracket 108. Holes 110 may be threaded to suit a variety of screws, grooved, unfinished, or otherwise shaped to allow for a variety of fasteners, adhesives or other such instruments to be disposed therein when forming the ramp assembly 100. Additional holes or fewer holes may be added or subtracted from bracket 108 as desired for different orientations or applications. Also, any number of holes 110 may be removably covered as desired.

In further exemplary embodiments, ramp assembly 100 may be removably attached, riveted, or affixed, via holes 110, to the side of a physical structure bordering an area into which a fluid substance can be poured, either as a single element or in an assembly with a holder and base. In one exemplary embodiment, ramp assembly 100 may be fixed to the side of a form through the use of fasteners, such as screws, |which|[CJM1] may enter and exit ramp assembly 100 through some number of holes 110, and which can allow for the securing of ramp assembly 100 in place when in use. These screws could then be removed after the pour is complete, allowing ramp assembly 100 to be removed from the form.

Ramp assembly 100 may also be removably attached to a form, such as a plywood form. Concrete may then be poured down a chute in the form, for example from a bucket. The concrete may then flow down the form and into the pocket on an exterior portion of the building. In another exemplary embodiment, ramp assembly 100 may be removably attached to a source of a fluid material, such as a mixing truck, thus allowing the fluid material to be poured into another device, vessel, or container, such as a vertical pouring funnel. A top edge of ramp 102 could be removably attached, riveted, or affixed, to the side of a physical structure bordering the area from which the fluid substance may be poured, either as a single element or in an assembly with the holder and base. In one exemplary embodiment, ramp assembly 100 may be fixed to the side of a mixing truck through the use of a hooks, which may latch to the source, such as a mixing truck's pouring spout, extending the length of the truck's pouring spout to reach containers, or any other such desirable location, at a length beyond the reach of the mixing truck's pouring spout.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the method, system and apparatus described herein. However, the method, system and apparatus should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the method, system and apparatus as defined by the following claims. 

1. An apparatus for directing the flow of fluid material to a defined space, comprising: a ramp; a first support forming a left wall of the ramp; a second support forming a second wall of the ramp; and a bracket coupled to the ramp at a lower edge, to the first support along a lower, vertical wall and to the second support along a lower, vertical wall.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ramp has an upper width greater than a bottom width.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bracket is U-shaped.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bracket further includes a plurality of holes which extend through the bracket.
 5. A method for directing the flow of a fluid material into a defined space, comprising: introducing fluid material an upper edge of a ramp; guiding the fluid material down the ramp from first section having a first width to a second section having a second width; preventing fluid loss as the fluid material flows down the ramp; and pouring the fluid material into a defined space from an area vertically remote from the defined space.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein a first wall and a second wall guide the fluid down the ramp and prevent fluid loss.
 7. A system for transferring fluid material from its source to a desired location, comprising: a source of fluid material, an assembly for directing the fluid material, the apparatus comprising: a ramp, first and second triangular supports respectively forming a left and a right wall of said ramp, a U-shaped bracket coupled to said ramp at a lower edge, and further coupled to the first and second triangular supports along a lower vertical wall, a receiving area that receives the fluid material.
 8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a coupling between the assembly and the source of the fluid material. 